spoken without music), then a scene of music in various metres, then a scene of trochaic septenarii, which were apparently recited to the accompaniment of (a pair of reed pipes). However, the scheme in the Captivi is slightly different and is as follows: ABC, AC, BC, ABCBC, BC The most common metre used in this play of 1208 lines is the trochaic septenarius (700 lines), followed by the iambic senarius (359 lines) and iambic octonarius (42 lines). Cretic and bacchiac metres take up 27 lines each, the trochaic octonarius 12 lines, and anapaests only 8 lines. The scene is set Prologue; Act 1.1–2 (lines 1–194): iambic senarii (194 lines) The actor delivering the prologue explains to the audience that the play is set in Aetolia. He points to Tyndarus and his master Philocrates, who are standing in chains, and explains that they are war-captives from Elis whom Hegio hopes to exchange for his son Philopolemus who has been captured in the war. He says that the master Philocrates and slave Tyndarus have switched identities in the hope that they can trick Hegio into sending Philocrates home. He also reveals that Tyndarus is in fact Hegio's younger son who was stolen in childhood. Ergasilus, a parasite, now enters, complaining that ever since Hegio's son Philopolemus was captured in the war, he has had no invitations to dinner. Hegio now comes out of his house and orders that the captives should be put in lighter chains. He exchanges banter with Ergasilus and invites him to dinner, although warning him that the dinner will be a poor one. He departs to inspect some more captives at his brother's house. Act 2.1 (195–241): mixed metres (47 lines) Tyndarus and Philocrates ask the guards for permission to talk privately. They go to one side and Tyndarus begs Philocrates not to abandon him when he has reached home. Act 2.1 (cont.)–2.2 (242–360): trochaic septenarii (118 lines) Philocrates in turn begs Tyndarus to keep up the pretence of being a rich man's son. Hegio now returns and, believing Philocrates to be the slave, takes him to one side and asks him about his master's wealth; then he questions Tyndarus. Tyndarus admits to being the son of a wealthy father, and urges Hegio to send Philocrates to Elis to redeem Hegio's captured son. Philocrates is released Act 2.3 (361–384): iambic senarii (24 lines) Hegio tells Philocrates that he